Streaming giant Netflix is to air a new documentary about the “rise, fall and resurrection” of sprinting great Mark Cavendish.
The British rider will star in the film that follows the sprinter from his triumphant 2016 Tour de France campaign where he won four stages before going on to claim a silver medal at the Olympics, through to his 2021 Tour ride where he won another four to equal the stage win record set by Eddy Merckx.
The production has access to both Cavendish and his wife Peta as well as his team-mates and coaches.
Director Alex Kiehl, who's other work includes a documentary series on Netflix Bad Sport that charts stories of sport and Crime and Four Days that Shook Britain about a series of terror attacks in 2017, said: “Mark and I developed a fantastic rapport across the last year – we talked at length about the biggest highs and deepest lows of his life and it was a privilege to tell his story.
“I was blown away by how open and genuine both Mark and his wife Peta were in their interviews. Their contributions allowed us to make a truly gripping and emotional film.”
Producer and creative director at Pitch Productions, which made the film, David Tryhorn added: “Few can grasp what it means to be the very best in the world at something, especially a gruelling sport like cycling, but everyone can relate to the painful setbacks Mark experienced in the five years prior to his extraordinary performance in the 2021 Tour de France.
“Mark approached this documentary just as he approached his career: he held nothing back. His authenticity and honesty are captivating and will ensure that this film connects with audiences far beyond sport’s normal constituency.”
The film is the latest in a raft of cycling content that has been picked up by Netflix as part of a concerted push into sports documentaries. The company recently unveiled its much anticipated Tour de France documentary series Unchained and it also has a series on the Movistar team entitled The Least Expected Day.
Mark Cavendish: Never Enough is set to release on 2 August.
